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"The actions of the government are in clear violation of the democratic rights of the Filippino people." This clear denunciation was made in a 7 March 2006 letter from World Council of Churches (WCC) deputy general secretary Georges Lemopoulos to Philippines president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
The letter suggests that recent peaceful protests against government policies and corruption in official circles express "genuine grievances", and regrets that the government ordered security forces to disperse the demonstrations by force. Such "strong-arm tactics", it says, "have led to needless escalation of violence and human rights violations".
The letter concludes with a call to Arroyo's government to release all those under detention in connection with the demonstrations, and "to ensure that no member of the public is detained without the due process of law" and respect of democratic rights.
